A UK-based independent worldwide fellowship
In early June 2024, Professor Zhao contacted me regarding two academic exchange programs: the first is a 22-day visit (July 27 to August 17) by Professor Zhao Kejin to study modern British modernization and its global development experience; the second is a 7-day visit (August 17 to 23) by scholars from four universities in Beijing and Shanghai to the UK, focusing on the development of artificial intelligence and global governance. These visits are part of the implementation of the collaborative initiatives discussed during Professor Zhao’s visit to the Global China Academy Center on January 20, 2024, and they also serve as a concrete step toward fulfilling the wish of the late Professor Li Qiang (1950-2023), founding dean of Tsinghua University’s School of Social Sciences and former Chinese Chairman of the Global China Academy Council, to continue strengthening the relationship between the two institutions.
To this end, the Academy’s Board of Trustees and Council have placed great importance on the visit of scholars from Tsinghua and other Chinese institutions to the UK, with the aim of continuing and deepening the cooperative relationship with the School of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University. Professor Tony McEnery, Chair of the Academy Council, and I jointly signed the invitation letter based on a previous invitation template, specifying that all event arrangements and services will be provided by the Global China Academy, with the costs covered by the Global Industry Research Institute at Tsinghua University. Despite the visit taking place during the holiday period, our Academy will ensure that leaders or fellows from different areas of the Academy will participate in every key event.
Regarding transportation and accommodation, we outsourced these aspects appropriately, while for dining, we upgraded the standards accordingly and proactively included a clause in the contract stating that any additional costs would be covered by the Academy. Based on decades of experience in exchanges with Chinese scholars, we added the concept of ‘enjoying international cuisine and making friends from all over the world’ to the traditional Chinese intellectual principle of ‘reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles.’ For Chinese people, who value food as a vital part of life, ‘enjoying international cuisine’ is a way to practice the idea of the renowned Chinese sociologist and anthropologist Fei Xiaotong, which emphasizes ‘appreciating one’s own beauty, appreciating the beauty of others, sharing in beauty, and achieving harmony in the world’ or ‘harmony in diversity.’
Below is a summary of daily activities with related images, not only to record the events but also to ensure the authenticity, fairness, and transparency of the academic work, showcasing the efforts we have made.
